Wild Life Portraits: The Eyes Mark Their Intentions

The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intentions.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

 

  

I've brought together my wildlife paintings into one collection, representing the current focus and direction of my work.

  Here you'll find the mountain lion lying down with the meerkat, tiny spiny hedgehogs and long-necked giraffes,  Eurasian vultures and Mexican wolves, to name a few.  I approach my wildlife paintings as portraits, looking for the individual, the presence of the animal.  And with that in mind, I painted my newest Meerkat portrait with Vermeer's portraits in mind.  A little whimsical, a little anthropomorphic perhaps, but in spirit with recognizing the essential dignity of these creatures.  Here too you will find my first painting specifically looking at the threat of extinction facing so many of these animals,  my "Requiem for Polar Bears".

The first of my new, larger format works are now posted and available.  Additionally, the thumbnails have been sized proportionate to the actual painting, clink on the image to see it larger.

 

  
   

Go Purchase Available Pieces from this Collection: 

  
 
Portrait of a Fennec Fox, in front of the opening to its den. I really enjoy watching these foxes. They seem bold beyond their size, inquisitive, and determined hunters.

NEW

"From Major to Minor"

Fennec Fox

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  48"x36" 

 

Portrait of a Fennec Fox, in front of the opening to its den.  I really enjoy watching these foxes.    They seem bold beyond their size, inquisitive, and determined hunters.

 

Provenance:  2009      Collection of the Artist
 

Status:   Original Available   (pricing pending)

Giclee' prints - (pricing and edition pending)
Portrait of a meerkat with a Serengeti landscape in the background. Meerkats are social animals, and take turns on guard duty, watching for threats, while their companions hunt or rest.

NEW

"Be Like Heaven, If"

Meerkat

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  48"x36" 

 

Portrait of a meerkat with a Serengeti landscape in the background.  Meerkats are social animals, and take turns on guard duty, watching for threats, while their companions hunt or rest.

 

Provenance:  2009      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Original Available   (pricing pending)

Giclee' prints - (pricing and edition pending) 
 

Portrait of a Reticulated Giraffe, Mutombo. This portrait is based on a series of reference photo's I took of Mutombo, a reticulated giraffe born at the Living Desert in 2006.

"It Is Well"

Reticulated Giraffe Calf

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  8"x10" 

 

Portrait of a Reticulated Giraffe, Mutombo.  This portrait is based on a series of reference photo's I took of Mutombo, a reticulated giraffe born at the Living Desert in 2006.  I've always been struck by the pose; it reminds me of how these animals, like so many, are threatened by predation, habitat loss, poaching, raising the potential for a grim future.  Yet zoo populations of endangered species, the breeding programs, every new born, stand as a direct challenge to that future.  Succeed or fail, the future will be met directly. The title comes from a hymn that speaks to confidence and faith in both good times and bad.

 

Provenance:  2008      Collection of the Funk Family
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition of 100:  98 available) - $75

This is a fine art portrait of a Golden Eagle, a threatened raptor found across the northern hemisphere.

 

"Piercing"

Golden Eagle

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20"
 

This portrait is of a Golden Eagle.  Golden Eagles are widely distributed throughout the western hemisphere, though strongly associated with the American southwest.  As predators, their prey ranges from mice to young deer, and they will supplement their diet when necessary with carrion.   The main threat to these raptors is habitat loss. The title refers to the gaze of the eagle as well as its talons, and the way that the plight of raptors has, in the past, pierced the obfuscation that surrounded conservation efforts in the U.S.

 

Provenance:  2008      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

This portrait is of a Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia, a small owl known for its habit of nesting in underground burrows. These small owls are often quite active during the day, and found across much of the western half of the United States, as well as Central and South America.

"Ghost Bird"

Burrowing Owl

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  8"x10"


This portrait is of a Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia, a small owl known for its habit of nesting in underground burrows.  These small owls are often quite active during the day, and found across much of the western half of the United States, as well as Central and South America.   Found in grasslands and deserts, they provide a good example of the adaptive strategies that desert dwelling animals employ.

 

Provenance:  2008      Collection of the J. Hughes Family

This is a portrait of a meerkat, a small carnivore from the African deserts

"To the Manor Born"

Meerkat

Acrylic on Canvas board   6"x8"


Portrait of a Meerkat.  The title has fun with not only the reference to the hit TV show "Meerkat Manor", but with my model's attitude and the pun of being born for a high class life, but the older idea of being so skilled, it is as if one were born with those skills fully developed.   Close observation has taught that meerkats learn their many skills from older generations, of course. And in the broadest sense, meerkats are certainly suited for life in the desert.

 Provenance:  2008      Collection of the  the Artist

Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 100 available) - $50

This acrylic painting is a portrait of Reno, a mountain lion that lived at The Living Desert. When he died at 22 years, he was the oldest living mountain lion in captivity.

 

"Virtuoso'

Mountain Lion

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20"


This is a portrait of Reno, a mountain lion at the Living Desert in Palm Desert California.  Reno passed away recently at the miraculous age of 22, twice the average for mountain lions in the wild, and the oldest mountain lion in captivity.

Known by many names, cougars, pumas, mountain lions are stalk-n-ambush predators that take large prey like deer or bighorn sheep, or prey as small as insects and rodents.  They are considered near endangered, largely due to persecutorial hunting and habitat loss.  I chose the title Virtuoso, as it seemed the best to convey the power and grace of this beautiful predators.

 

Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

This is a fine art portrait of an African Spiny Hedgehog, created in acrylic on canvas

 

"African Spiny Hedgehog"

African Spiny Hedgehog
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  8"x10"


These guys are hard to resist, and one portrait seems to lead to another.  If they keep being so cute, I may have to paint more portraits of them. (Update: 36"x48" portrait coming soon)


Provenance:  2008      Collection of the Milligan Family
This painting is a fine art portrait of a family of giraffes, Dadisi, Hasabu and Motumbo

"Serene"

Reticulated Giraffes
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20"


The Reticulated Giraffe is the most commonly known of the nine sub-species of Giraffes.  They are native to Somalia and Northern Kenya, and are one of the smaller sub-species. This portrait features the breeding  pair from the Living Desert, Dadisi and Hesabu, and their first calf, Mutombo.  Mutombo was born September 27, 2006.  The highlight of my week, every week, is the time I spend introducing these beautiful animals to visitors at the Living Desert.

 

Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

Gift Items with This Image

A portrait of a meerkat with a pearl earring, homage to Vermeer's painting "Girl with a pearl earring".

 

"Meerkat with a Pearl Earring"

Meerkat

Acrylic on Canvas 12"x16"


Portrait of a Meerkat.  Between my volunteer work at a zoo, and the paintings on this page, I've become increasingly appreciative of the individuality in wild life.  We are often quick to recognize that trait in our pets, but hesitate to see in the wildlife in our yards and zoos and in the wild.  With that in mind, I thought it would fun to base a wildlife painting on a famous or significant human portrait, and Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring was the obvious choice.

 Provenance:  2008      Collection of the  the Artist

Status:  Giclee' prints (limited edition: 98 available) - $275

                   Original Available     Price: $3,075
The Fennec Fox, which comes from the arid regions of North Africa, the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, is the smallest canid, weighing up to 3.3 lbs. Their most notable feature is their large ears, which not only enable them to hear their own prey and predators, but help radiate excess heat, serving as a sort of ear-conditioning in the desert heat.

 

"Good Spirits"

Fennec Fox
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20"


The Fennec Fox, which comes from the arid regions of North Africa, the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, is the smallest canid, weighing up to 3.3 lbs.  Their most notable feature is their large ears, which not only enable them to hear their own prey and predators, but help radiate excess heat, serving as a sort of ear-conditioning in the desert heat.

The title comes from reports of their general personality - playful, inquisitive, friendly, extremely active.

 

Provenance:  2006      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

Gift Items with This Image

This painting is a fine art portrait of an African Spiny Hedgehog, rendered in Acrylic paint.

 

"Don't Mess with the Cute"

African Spiny Hedgehog
Acrylic on Canvas Board  6"x8"


Portrait of an African Spiny Hedgehog.  While very cute from our human perspective, these omnivorous balls of fur and spine must make a very different impression on the insects and other small animals they prey on.

 Provenance:  2007      Collection of the  Spenser Family

Gift Items with This Image
This is a painting of two Mexican Grey wolves on exhibit at the Living Desert in Palm Desert California

"Inquisitive"

Mexican Grey Wolves
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20"


The Mexican Grey Wolf is one of the smallest sub-species of Grey wolf,  and had been nearly completely eliminated from its native habit, the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts.  Efforts to re-introduce the Mexican Grey Wolf into protected areas within its original range are underway, using captive-bred wolves from zoo populations.

The wolf's inquisitive nature enables it to discover and exploit resources, enabling wolves to successfully adapt to a wide range of habitats.

 

Provenance:  2006      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

Gift Items with This Image

Portrait of a Eurasian Black Vulture. These Near-Threatened vultures are the largest birds of prey in the world, and found across southern Europe and Asia, from Spain to Japan, and are endangered throughout their European range. Their wingspan can be as much as 10 feet across, very impressive when one is kneeling beside their enclosure sketching and taking photos for a portrait, as they collect material for this year's nest. For the particular couple I watched, nest-building includes a lot of arguing over who gets to find which branch, where to place branches, and whether or not any particular branch is good enough for the nest.

"I Can Wait"

Eurasian Black Vulture
Acrylic on Canvas Board  6"x8"


Portrait of a Eurasian Black Vulture.  These Near-Threatened vultures are the largest birds of prey in the world, and found across southern Europe and Asia, from Spain to Japan, and are endangered throughout their European range.  Their wingspan can be as much as 10 feet across, very impressive when one is kneeling beside their enclosure sketching and taking photos for a portrait, as they collect material for this year's nest.  For the particular couple I watched, nest-building includes a lot of arguing over who gets to find which branch, where to place branches, and whether or not any particular branch is good enough for the nest.


Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Martin Family

Gift Items with This Image 
This is a fine art portrait of a Mexican Grey wolf, in her winter coat, with the sun on her back.

"Survival"

Mexican Grey Wolf
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  8"x10"

 

This portrait of a Mexican Grey wolf, one of the wolves at the Living Desert, captures her winter coat.  People who do not live in the desert often forget that our winter nights can get cold enough for frost, and snow, and desert plants and animals have adaptations to both extremes of temperature.


Provenance:  2008      Collection of the Kyllonen Family

This is a portrait of a polar bear superimposed on a representation of a power plant, recalling the relationship between global warming and the decline of polar bears in the wild.

"Requiem For Polar Bears"

Polar Bear
Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas  16"x20

 

While following the growing body of evidence about Global Warming, I noticed the reports about the specific threats to Polar Bears.  Some researchers with the U.S.G.S predict that polar bears will be extinct within the next 50 years, within the lifetime of many people alive today.
 

Provenance:  2008      Collection of the  Artist

Status:  Original Available     Price: $5,200

 This is an acrylic painting of a Saharan Sand Cat, a small, wild cat found across the Afican and Asian deserts, in inhospital and challenging environments like the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and Pakistan. They are carnivores, feeding on small prey like rodents, lizards and insects. In many parts of their range they are threatened by habitat loss. 

"Secretive"

Saharan Sand Cat

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas16"x20

 

The Sand Cat is a small, wild cat found across the African and Asian deserts, in inhospitable and challenging environments like the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and Pakistan.  They are carnivores, feeding on small prey like rodents, lizards and insects.  In many parts of their range they are threatened by habitat loss.

 

Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Artist
Status:   Giclee' prints (limited edition: 248 available) - $250

                   Original Available (please enquire by email) $6,500

Gift Items with This Image
This beautiful lady is one of the animals ambassadors at The Living Desert in Palm Desert California, an American Kestrel who graciously allows docents to introduce her to park guests, all the while watching for a free-range snack to pass by.

"Cricket"

American Kestrel
Acrylic on Canvas Board  6"x8"

 

This beautiful lady is one of the animals ambassadors at The Living Desert in Palm Desert California, an American Kestrel who graciously allows docents to introduce her to park guests, all the while watching for a free-range snack to pass by.


Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Demarbiex Family
 
Dadisi, a six year old Reticulated Giraffe living at The Living Desert has a particular smirk she uses when her attempts to wheedle extra treats fail. In September of 2006, she gave birth to her first, a strapping young male giraffe named Mutombo, in honor of Dikembe Mutombo, so Dadisi is experiencing wheedling and begging from a parent's perspective now.

"Princess"

Reticulated Giraffe
Acrylic on Canvas Board  6"x8"


Dadisi, a six year old Reticulated Giraffe living at The Living Desert has a particular smirk she uses when her attempts to wheedle extra treats fail.  In September of 2006, she gave birth to her first, a strapping young male giraffe named Mutombo, in honor of Dikembe Mutombo, so Dadisi is experiencing wheedling and begging from a parent's perspective now.


Provenance:  2007      Collection of the Beck Family

This is a portrait of one of the Cheetah's at the Living Desert in Palm Desert California, based on photo's of her as a kitten. Sabi passed away this year, after a very successful life as an ambassador for her species.

"Sabi"

Cheetah

Acrylic on Canvas Board  6"x8"


This is a portrait of one of the Cheetah's at the Living Desert in Palm Desert California, based on photo's of her as a kitten.  Sabi passed away in 2007, after a very successful life as an ambassador for her species.

 Provenance:  2007      Collection of the  Bianchi Family
 

 
      Engraving of Dionysus, link to Color PoemsNysa Gallery: Explorations of Dionysian Freedom  

Other Works, Older Works:  Plein Air

Other Works, Older Works:  Studio

  

Portrait of the Goddess Nix, link to Plein Air de Nuit galleryNyx Gallery: Explorations at Night

    
 
 
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